Following are the Important Committees
1.Public Accounts Committee; constituted in 1923 - Consist of 22 Members – 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha – Rajya Sabha Members can not vote. Ministers cannot be Members. From 1967 Member of opposition is Chairman. It has following important functions:
i) Examine Public Accounts of Government of India and report of CAG.
ii)Examine Whether money has been spent as authorized for the purpose. Point out waste- corruption – inefficiency etc.
iii)However it is not concerned with the policy making.
2.Estimate Committee created in 1950 with 30 Members all from Lok Sabha and if Deputy Speaker is Member, he becomes Chairman. Its functionsare
I.What economy, Improvement needed. II.Examine whether money is well laid out within the limit of the policy. III.Suggests alternative policy. IV.Suggests the form in which estimate shall be presented. However it will not prepare the estimate.
3.Committee on Public Undertakings – created in 1963.
On the recommendations of the Krishna Menan –22 Members and 15 from Lok Sabha. Every year 1/5 Members retire. The Chairman from Lok Sabha. It examines report and Accounts of Public Undertakings and considers the report of CAG on Public Undertakings. It also examine whether affairs of Public Undertakings are properly managed.
4.Business Advisory Committee ---- Constituted in both the Houses with 15 Members. Speaker or Chairman act as Ex-Officio Chairman -allocate the business of the house.
5.Committee on Private Members Bill and Resolutions - Lok Sabha Committee with 15 Members and chaired by Deputy Speaker.
6.Committee on Petitions – Separate Committee under both Houses. Ministers cannot become a Member.
7.Committee on Privileges - Separate Committee in both Houses.
8.Committee on Subordinate Legislations. Committee on both Houses. Ministers cannot be Member
9.Committee on Absent of Members from the sitting of House - .Not constituted in Rajya Sabha.
10.Rules Committee – In both Houses – Speaker or Chairman as Ex-officio Chairman.
11.Committee on Welfare of SC/ST – Joint Committee of both Houses with 20 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
12.Committee on Science and Technology - Joint Committee with 15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha.
13) COMMITTEE ON EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
On the occasion of International Women's Day on 8th March, 1996, two identical resolutions for constituting a Standing Committee of both the Houses for improving the status of women were moved in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok SabhaThe Committee consist of 30 Members, 20 nominated by the Speaker from amongst the Members of Lok Sabha and 10 nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha from amongst the Members of the Rajya Sabha. A Minister cannot be nominated a Member of the Committee and if a Member after his nomination to the Committee is appointed a Minister, he ceases to be a Member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
14) COMMITTEE ON MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT LOCAL AREA DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (MPLADS)
The Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (Lok Sabha), an ad hoc Committee was constituted for the second time on 7 Janaury, 2000 under the discretionary powers of SpeakerA Minister is not eligible to become a Member of the Committee. If a Member after his election to the Committee is appointed a Minister, he ceases to be a Member of the Committee from the date of such appointment. The term of the Committee does not exceed one year. Functions (a) to monitor and review periodically the permormance and problems in implementation of the MPLADS Scheme (Lok Sabha); (b) to consider complaints of memebr sof Lok Sabha in regard to the Scheme; and (c) to perform such other functions in respect of the MPLAD Scheme as may be assigned to it by the Speaker from time to time.
Over all Analysis:
1.Estimate Committee, Private Members Bill and Absent of Members are only from Lok Sabha.
2.PAC, Public Undertakings Committee, SC/ST Committee and Science and Technology Committee are Joint Committees.
3.Business Advisory Committee and Rules Committee are headed by Speaker.4.Ministers cannot be Members in Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Subordinate Legislation and Committee on Petitions, Women Empowerment MPLADS
They can also be classified on performance basis.
| 1 | Finance Committees | PAC, Estimates Committee, Public Undertakings |
| 2 | House Committees | Business Advisory, Rules, Pvt Members Bills, Absent of Members |
| 3 | Enquiry Committee | Privilege, Petitions |
| 4 | Scrutiny Committees | Subordinate Legislation, SC/ST, Papers laid on the Table, |
| 5 | DeptRelatedCommittees to scrutinize Demands of various Depts | 17 – consist of 30 from Lok Sabha and 15 from Rajya Sabha—6 constituted by Chairman Rajya Sabha and 15 by Speaker. |
